Getting to Grund by public transport

Natural history and the natural sciences are presented here in a simple yet fascinating way: in addition to its permanent exhibition, the “natur musée” regularly hosts special and focused exhibitions all about plants, animals and the universe. It’s educational, lively and unusual. The museum’s two gardens, shop and cafeteria are also pleasant places to spend time. The museum is located in the charming Grund district and can be easily reached via the lift from the Plateau St. Esprit or on foot along the picturesque cobbled streets surrounding the Corniche.

Luxembourg is full of life. With its international flair and the many languages that echo through its streets, it is a modern, vibrant city. Yet at the same time Luxembourg is a place in which history is very much a sensory experience. The remains of the old fortress, the “Gibraltar of the North”, from which the city and country were defended in times gone by, are to be found everywhere. A view of the mighty walls from the leafy Grund district, while strolling along the Alzette past the Neumünster Abbey, is especially beautiful. From this vantage point one can look up at the impressive Bock cliffs, one of the most important UNESCO sights. The subterranean casemates are the longest in the world, with windows carved out of the stone at regular intervals. Nowadays, the structural witnesses of this defensive past blend harmoniously with the cityscape. Many of them have undergone a metamorphosis. For example, you need to take a closer look and explore the interior to discover the fortress walls beneath the Villa Vauban built in the classical style in 1873. Today’s art museum is surrounded by a lavishly laid out magnificent park, which invites you to stroll and breathe deeply. A visit to the Dräi Eechelen Museum in the vicinity of the Mudam Contemporary Art Museum is a trip into both past and present at once. In turn, the latter building is a symbiosis of past and present. Surrounded by fortress walls, the museum itself is a modern and impressive edifice by star architect Pei, with exhibition rooms bathed in light, showcasing contemporary art. One thing is evident in Luxembourg: the UNESCO World Heritage remains are not redolent of a museum but rub shoulders with modernity. A city characterised by tolerance and conviviality, it is a city that is “Naturally Europe”. Experience UNESCO in the Visitor Center At the heart of the world heritage site is the “UNESCO Visitor Center” in the Lëtzebuerg City Museum, a place for immersing oneself in UNESCO world cultural heritage history, its significance and distinctive features. Displays, some of them interactive, show the protected Old Town and Fortifications. Anyone looking out of the window can compare models and drawings directly with reality. And anyone completing the 2.5 km long UNESCO Old Town and fortress walking tour can experience the world heritage site in less than 90 minutes. UNESCO programme and up-to-date information

This museum brings the capital’s more than one thousand years of history to life: “The Luxembourg Story” is a permanent exhibition that shows the development of the city through countless original artefacts and models, some of them incorporating multimedia animations. The new UNESCO Visitor Centre fits in perfectly here and continues the same historic theme, while two further floors of the museum house temporary exhibitions. The Lëtzebuerg City Museum is housed in four historic buildings which were built between the 17th and 19th centuries, in some cases on medieval foundations. A special highlight is the vast glass lift that can carry up to 65 people at a time along the ancient walls inside the museum.

A wall like a blank page is the concept behind the project "LE MUR Luxembourg". Inspired by the "MUR Oberkampf" in Paris, where over 300 artists have left their mark over the years, and following on from the graffiti project at the ventilation tower at Place Guillaume II, "LE MUR LUXEMBOURG" will feature graffiti and street art in a range of styles on its 30 m2 urban canvas.

Situated near the Cathedral and the Government district, Place de Clairefontaine was redesigned at the end of the eighties in the framework of extensive restoration and reconstruction involving the entire district. The name of the square comes from a place of shelter, a refuge belonging to the abbey of Clairefontaine which is near the Belgian border. The same refuge was demolished in 1933. A monument in honour of Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896-1985), designed by the Parisian sculptor Jean Cardot, was erected on this square in April,1990. Grand Duchess Charlotte Among the famous statues in Luxembourg, the statue of Grand Duchess Charlotte on Place de Clairefontaine was designed by the french sculptor Jean Cardot. On 29th April 1990, the 2.75-metre-high bronze statue was officially inaugurated in the presence of the Grand Ducal family. Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896-1985), who was very popular with the Luxembourgers, ruled from 1919 to 1964.

Also called “the most beautiful balcony of Europe” (according to the Luxembourg writer Batty Weber), it runs along the Alzette valley on the ramparts - built by the Spaniards and the French in the 17th century - from the Bock Promontory up to the lower part of the Holy Ghost Citadel, the so-called “Rondellen”. Up to the year 1870 the Corniche had staircases in steep parts which were levelled off only after the dismantling of the fortress. Moreover the greatest part of the protecting wall with its loopholes was cleared away so as to disclose a superb panorama on the valley of the Alzette, the city district of Grund and the Rham Plateau.